Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children (EMDC): Stage 1 Report -- Programme Overview and Descriptive Analysis. Working Paper
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| Title: | Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children (EMDC): Stage 1 Report -- Programme Overview and Descriptive Analysis. Working Paper |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rubaiya Mursh, Taniya Laizu Sumy, Sophia Kan, Shamima Siddiky, Joaquin Carceles, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti (Italy) |
| Source: | UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. 2025. |
| Availability: | UNICEF Innocenti - Global Office of Research and Foresight. Via degli Alfani, 58, 50121, Florence, Italy. Tel: 39055-20330; Fax: 39055-2033220. email: florence@unicef.org; Web site: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 34 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Evaluative |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Disadvantaged, Access to Education, Acceleration (Education), Out of School Youth, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Literacy, Numeracy, Community Involvement, Program Implementation, Program Effectiveness, Educational Policy, Educational Planning, Gender Differences, Parent Background, Poverty, Nutrition, Health, Disabilities, Ethnic Groups, Religious Cultural Groups, Scores, Mainstreaming, Intervention, Nonformal Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Bangladesh |
| Abstract: | Bangladesh has expanded access to primary education, yet many children, especially those from low-income, ethnic minority and other marginalized groups, continue to face significant barriers to learning. The Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children (EMDC) programme addresses this challenge by providing accelerated, ability-based learning opportunities for out-of-school and at-risk children aged seven to 14. Through community-run learning centres, locally recruited female teachers, targeted instruction and real-time monitoring, the programme helps learners rapidly recover foundational literacy and numeracy skills and prepares them for reintegration into formal schooling. The initiative has already reached more than 243,000 children across five districts, with positive results: 84 percent of learners successfully transitioned into formal schools, and nearly all achieved basic reading and numeracy competencies despite starting from significantly low learning levels. This EMDC report presents early programme findings, highlights key implementation approaches, and shares preliminary evidence on learner outcomes and community engagement. It also outlines future research plans to understand long-term impact, cost-effectiveness and strategies for scaling effective practices. [This project was funded with UK International Development from the UK government.] |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680105 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Bangladesh has expanded access to primary education, yet many children, especially those from low-income, ethnic minority and other marginalized groups, continue to face significant barriers to learning. The Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children (EMDC) programme addresses this challenge by providing accelerated, ability-based learning opportunities for out-of-school and at-risk children aged seven to 14. Through community-run learning centres, locally recruited female teachers, targeted instruction and real-time monitoring, the programme helps learners rapidly recover foundational literacy and numeracy skills and prepares them for reintegration into formal schooling. The initiative has already reached more than 243,000 children across five districts, with positive results: 84 percent of learners successfully transitioned into formal schools, and nearly all achieved basic reading and numeracy competencies despite starting from significantly low learning levels. This EMDC report presents early programme findings, highlights key implementation approaches, and shares preliminary evidence on learner outcomes and community engagement. It also outlines future research plans to understand long-term impact, cost-effectiveness and strategies for scaling effective practices. [This project was funded with UK International Development from the UK government.] |
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